Top 10 best tacklers in the Championship this season: Leeds star in front, Aston Villa midfielder fourth

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Players from Leeds United, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Queens Park Rangers all feature in the Championship’s top 10.

Aaron Mooy of Huddersfield Town (L) and Albert Adomah of Aston Villa in action

With the season beginning to reach the business end, managers will start to rely on their most consistent performers to help them take their respective clubs towards their goals for the campaign. With that in mind, HITC Sport is taking a look at some of the crucial statistics from the season so far to get a better idea of who the best performers have been.

In this list which features players from Leeds, Aston Villa, Wolves and QPR amongst others, we look at the 10 most successful tacklers in the Championship this term…

10. Maxime Colin (Brentford)

Maxime Colin has enjoyed an excellent second season with Brentford, and that has been confirmed by the stats which show that he has made 60 successful tackles for the Bees.

9. Massimo Luongo (Queens Park Rangers)

The QPR midfielder is one of three players who have made 62 successful challenges in the Championship this term. He is arguably becoming the talisman at Loftus Road, and at 24, he should only be continuing to get better over the coming years.

Fulham’s Neeskens Kebano in action with QPR’s Massimo Luongo

8. Tom Clarke (Preston North End)

It is arguably down to the form of Tom Clarke that Preston go into the final nine games of the season with a chance to bag a play-off spot, which would be a tremendous achievement. As well as his 62 tackles won, he has also scored three.

7. David Edwards (Wolves)

The Wolverhampton Wanderers stalwart continues to be one of the most consistent and reliable members of Paul Lambert’s squad. Without his 62 successful challenges, Wolves may have perhaps been going into the final nine games of the campaign looking to get out of the bottom three rather than keep themselves above it.

Ipswich Town’s Toumani Diagouraga (L) in action against Wolves’ Dave Edwards

6. Stephen Warnock (Wigan Athletic)

Despite Stephen Warnock’s best efforts, Wigan are in serious trouble in the Championship this season. They currently sit in the bottom three despite the 35-year-old veteran making 64 successful challenges.

5. Will Vaulks (Rotherham United)

While Warnock deserves sympathy for what he has done at Wigan, Will Vaulks deserves even more praise for giving a surely-doomed Rotherham side the slightest chance at this stage of the season. The holding midfielder has also made 64 successful challenges.

Sheffield Wednesday’s David Jones in action with Aston Villa’s Conor Hourihane

4. Conor Hourihane (Barnsley/Aston Villa)

Conor Hourihane receives a lot of praise for the quality he shows going forward, but it appears that he is very much underrated defensively. He has won 64 tackles this season across his spells with Barnsley and Aston Villa, so it is hardly a surprise – given the goals and assists he also contributes – that both teams moved up the table with him in their ranks.

3. Greg Cunningham (Preston North End)

Like teammate Clarke, Preston have also been grateful to the form of Greg Cunningham both going forward and defensively. Cunningham has contributed five assists and made 67 successful tackles. If the pair can keep going strong, then it is surely too early to write the Lilywhites off when it comes to sneaking a top six spot.

2. Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)

The Huddersfield Town loanee is surely going to be playing in the Premier League next season, and David Wagner will be desperately hoping that he can inspire the Terriers to promotion so they have a better chance of keeping him. Huddersfield have looked brilliant all season, and Mooy is the key reason for that with his quality in the middle. He has made 71 successful challenges.

Derby’s Alex Pearce in action with Leeds’ Luke Ayling

1. Luke Ayling (Bristol City/Leeds United)

Luke Ayling has probably been Leeds’ best permanent signing from last summer, and the stats seem to back that theory up. The right-back has won a staggering 78 challenges for Leeds this term to sit seven clear of any of his rivals. Not having him available for their upcoming games with Brighton and Reading will surely be a major blow for the Whites.

Here is a look at the top 10 in full…